Murals
Most public display of my artwork since 2003 has been mural and lazure (colour effects) commissions.
These murals and colour effects use either watercolour or natural paints, finished with a glaze for protection. The technique is called lazure: it uses layer upon layer of semi-transparent colour. This is a flexible method that enables colour to free itself from the flat appearance of normal wall paints and appear to float in front of a white surface, which illuminates the colour from behind. The translucent colours then appear to softly shine.
The picture appears more living, more dynamic, when painted this way. Textured surfaces are ideal for this work, but not essential. Sometimes a texture is created by adding sand or other material to the undercoat. The word ‘lazure’ is derived from the German “lasur” meaning “glaze”.
The murals shown here are some examples from a large body of work since 2003, including 9 major lazure mural commissions, over 660 sq.ms, in Belgium, Australia and New Zealand, in school halls, medical/therapeutic and educational spaces for youth, aged care and disability clients. I have also completed 7 smaller commissions: for a bookshop, a retirement village, private bedrooms and medical waiting rooms. The murals range from 2m x 3m to 6m x 8m on any one wall, but are sometimes motifs, pictures from nature or abstract compositions, are embedded in a lazured hall or large room, which means the total space may be up 120 sq.m.
Walls that breathe
The themes are primarily gentle, imaginative and colourful, qualities that bring out the best in watercolour medium. There are fantasy elements expressing the four elements in nature for children or young people with intellectual disabilities; and moods of serene inwardness for the very elderly, for healing spaces or for quiet contemplation in chapels. Mental health is as important as physical health and these ‘painted spaces’ are designed specifically for health and wellbeing. Always the most important quality is that the colour breathes.
The use of lazure colour is under-utilized in Australia, where it is very effective for creating atmosphere, since it has a softer finish than flat acrylics and oil paints. Most lazure murals do not overwhelm a space but fulfil it; therefore they are not always fully formed, allowing the viewer to “live into” the work. They are immersive, experiential spaces that allow the viewer to interact imaginatively with the work. Nature themes are especially effective for enhancing a space, even if just a corridor, with a sense of life and living-ness.
Painted Space 
Just stopping by to Thank You for the comment you left on my blog a while back (on my DIY Lazure post). Sorry it took so long to get back to you! (My blog is https://leavingtheivorytower.blogspot.com). Your gallery is LOVELY and so inspirational. It makes me want to do more- the right way! 🙂
And to repeat my response to your original comment: Thank you!! This is exactly the kind of explanation I was searching for when I first started this project years ago. From what I could find at the time, it seemed like the traditional Lazure method was a guarded trade secret, passed down through apprenticeships. Unfortunately I didn’t have the luxury or means to learn it that way, so I had to fake it. There was very little “how to” info out there. But, I have long since wondered about the real roots of the process, so thank you so much for the info!!!
Hi Hayley,
Sorry to take so long to get back to you but been in transit for a few months.
I’m so glad you found my comment useful and its great that you experimented yourself with how to get the same effects. That’s creativity for you – not just following instructions but exploring for yourself. All the best for your artistic future!